


United we stand

by ao_no_uma



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Superpowers, angst with happy ending, but not exactly X-men AU, inspired by x-men, superhero au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2018-12-20 11:09:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11919663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ao_no_uma/pseuds/ao_no_uma
Summary: All around the world, some people are gifted with unusual abilities. Among their own they are called “talented”, by others “freaks” at best. Some of them try to coexist peacefully with normal people, and the rest prefer to remain concealed, usually living scattered in small groups.Hux’ talent is a result of scientific experiment. Kylo runs away from home after he causes a deadly accident. Years later, they meet by chance.





	United we stand

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NatashaRS](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatashaRS/gifts).



> For my wonderful partner Nat, who contributed as artist and beta and offered endless support in tough times.
> 
> Thanks to Anorlost for encouraging me to participate. 
> 
> And thanks to You, Kylux fandom, for all the fun and amazing content You gave me <3
> 
>  
> 
> Warnings: mentioned scientific experiments on children and death of children, school abuse, assault, non-explicit wounds, blood, swearing, mentioned suicide attempt
> 
>  
> 
> Original prompt: Kylo, dressed in a superhero-esque version of his outfit, standing by Hux dressed in a similar fashion. They're in a modern looking city. (Basically, super villain or superhero AU)

If a satellite or a stray drone took a photo, one would see a solitary modern-looking wooden cabin in the middle of dense forests. Perhaps one owned by eccentric millionaire, their shelter to run away from everyday life. No one would pay it much attention and most would leave it without a second thought.

No one would know the low spacious cabin was a cover for a secret private underground research facility - a labyrinth of corridors and labs powered by its own generator, isolated with thick concrete and technologically advanced materials so no hint of thermal or electrical signal emitted by it could be tracked. It was top of the top secret. Considering the inhuman experiments conducted inside, the owner preferred it to remain classified.

Inside the hidden cabin, Armitage felt a tiny spark of gratitude for the fact he and Techie were recently allowed to move upstairs from their shared bedroom located underground near the labs, just like the quarters of the rest of the subjects. Of course, cameras were everywhere here too, more or less concealed from plain view. Any attempt of escape would end twenty meters away from the building at best. But living here was _different._ Maybe because of how much more space there was for them two to live in, or perhaps the walls made of wood in warm cozy hues of ochre and browns instead of grey concrete, or maybe it was the sunlight they saw for the first time in years and which irritated Techie’s eyes less than bright artificial light of lamps.

Speaking of Techie, he was rubbing at his sore reddened eyes again.

‘Don’t’ Armitage sat beside Techhie on the couch and gently tugged his hand away from his face. ‘You’ll only aggravate it.’

‘It’s getting worse’ his twin brother whined. ‘They’re over a year old and ought to be replaced. Do you think father will get me new ones if I ask him?’

The question sounded so hopeful that Armitage’s heart clenched painfully. He gritted his teeth to prevent snapping an angry reply, _Of course he won’t. He doesn’t care of your wellbeing. He only keeps you because of me._

He didn’t want to wonder what would happen to Techie once he stopped being useful.

Before he replied there was a quiet knock at the door of living room and Armitage flinched. It was odd. Brendol and scientists didn’t bother with privacy and just walked in. Other guests visited them very rarely, and usually it was Mr. Snoke.

‘Come in please’ Armitage said and raised himself from the couch.

A dark-skinned woman with big brown paper bag in her arms entered and Armitage restrained a smile of relief from blooming on his face. Rae Sloane, chief security of the facility, was the only person he was happy to see.

‘Hello boys’ Rae, smiling widely, stepped forward and gave Armitage a brief hug with one arm.

‘What’s this?’ Techie pointed at the bundle.

‘A gift! Tomorrow’s your twelfth birthday, don’t you remember?’ she didn’t stop smiling but a cold meaningful gleam flickered in her brown eyes.

‘How could we forget?’ Armitage answered hard stare. ‘What is it?’

The woman lowered the bag to show its content – candies wrapped in colorful paper.

Techie yelped happy and reached for sweets but Rae batted his hand away.

‘Wait for tomorrow. Any plans for celebration?’ Rae returned to cover topic.

‘Not quite. I must finish my current project’ Armitage spoke.

‘I see. I can’t drop by tomorrow, so best wishes in advance, boys. Next visit will rely on schedule’ during the last sentence, the woman gave Armitage one last gaze, and the boy stared back with understanding and a small nod. Everything was going as planned.

Rae laid the bag down beside Techie, gave them both quick hug and left.

Techie’s attention returned to the gift. His fingers brushed the sweets. The boy sighed with pity.

‘Alright, let’s have a one or two. Or the whole bag’ Armitage winked and grabbed a fistful of candies for himself. Tomorrow there would be no time for eating them, even though Techie was unaware of the reason. Techie just made a happy noise and stuffed candies in his mouth.

*          *

The supplies for the lab and its workers were transferred to the facility over kilometers via pneumatic tunnels from another outpost which was also owned by Mr. Snoke. The most delicate equipment was transported by helicopter. Armitage had seen it twice since they had moved upstairs; he had witnessed the machine landing gracefully on the clearing in front of the cabin. Rae had told him the flights were irregular and the security was informed of its arrival only an hour before.  

He had no idea how she had obtained information of another transport landing tonight but it didn’t really matter.

He didn’t close his eyes that night. After midnight the boy left his bed, eyeing his brother who was sleeping peacefully in his bed. He wandered back to the living room, minding not to step in the cameras’ view, and stood by the glass door to the patio, propping forehead on its cold surface. The whole cabin was veiled in complete darkness. The sky was clear, sprinkled with thousands stars. It was no good, a flying vessel would be easily spotted.

Armitage looked at his watch. Ten minutes to the arrival, thirty-two for the plan to begin. He stood like a statue on his post, watching the stars blinking shyly at him. He hadn’t packed up any luggage yet, but to be honest, they had no personal belongings other than a toothbrush.   

It started with a hum that quickly grew louder to a roar. Armitage stepped back into the shadow of the room watching the helicopter lowering until it sat on ruffled grass. Two men jumped out of the cockpit, one of them opened door of main compartment revealing stacks of crates filled up to the ceiling, and the other marched to the entrance of hut, to the staircase and down to the labs.

Minutes of waiting dragged on painfully and slowly. The whole time Armitage observed as the pilot walked out from the cabin accompanied by four security guards. They unloaded the cargo chatting cheerfully; the glass was soundproof and Armitage couldn’t hear a word, but he deduced that they were speaking about irrelevant matters. When the trunk was empty one of the pilots pointed at the cockpit and made a step back toward the vessel but a guard gave a friendly pat on his arm and tugged the pilots back to the door of cabin. Armitage crept across the room toward the waiting room to catch any sound. He heard chuckles and hushed talk, and the sound he most awaited – the rush of steps on concrete stairs, down to security’s social room.

The helicopter was left alone.

Armitage glanced at his watch. Three minutes left.

He rushed to bedroom and crouched in front of a sleeping Techie. His brother jerked awake with a whimper at the feather-light touch on his shoulder. Armitage pressed a finger to lips to shush him.

‘What…’ Techie started but was cut off by yank at the wrist.

Armitage led him across the living room, out, on the wooden patio, and farther onto grass covered with chilly dew. Techie whined when his bare soles touched the ground. He stumbled forward and fell on knees, wet patches formed on his sleeping pants.

‘Hurry!’ Armitage urged. They were just a few meters away from the helicopter. In any minute the glade could be flooded with eye-burning light and the two red-haired boys spotted on the clearing. Armitage tugged Techie to a standing position and pulled him into the cockpit just in time to see Rae dashing across the patio and clearing. She shut the trunk door close and joined the boys who were squeezed on one seat. Her fingers pushed multiple buttons on the console in order to fire the engines to life.

The helicopter lifted off the ground and glided above tree canopy, away from the lab.

‘W-what’s going on?’ the quivering Techie finally stuttered a question, his eyes round from panic.

Armitage cupped his brother’s face and looked right into his artificial eyes. An involuntary giddy grin cracked on his face.

‘We ran away. We’re free.’

‘Not yet’ Rae said from her seat. ‘They’ll be in pursuit as soon as they notice the helicopter’s gone. I organized a few stops to change transport so they’ll lose our trail. We’ll get you clothes and hair dye on the first one. Pray it’ll be enough.’

Techie, still gaping at his brother, eventually smiled too. Armitage couldn’t stop his own carefree laughter.

They were free.

 

 

*          *

 

 

It was a bad day.

It started in the dead of the night. Ben woke up with the familiar feeling of his blood being too hot. He tried the meditation and calming exercises uncle Luke had suggested, but it had no effect. He tried to fall asleep again and wait until the worst pass; it ended with tossing restless in bed for the rest of night. When the alarm clock rang in the morning Ben was feverish, sweaty and exhausted. A chilly shower didn’t help his overheated skin.

Abilities of the most of talented usually displayed for the first time usually around teenagehood. Ben was five years old when a flick of red energy appeared in his palm. Leia was so proud of him, as the earlier the abilities showed up, the stronger the kid was. But what had then seemed a blessing, turned out to be a curse. Ben clearly wielded one of the most powerful abilities uncle Luke had a chance to see in his school, but it required a lot of control to be tamed and not hurt Ben back. It also depended strongly on his mood; if he got overwhelmed by emotions, it ended up like this: inner fire seeped painfully into his veins. It usually relented by itself after few hours; today, it was steadily getting worse over time.

Ben would normally call Luke’s School for Talented Youth a serene place – an old mansion in the middle of vast private plot of land, where young talented were safe from outer world and could train under the surveillance of experienced teachers. But today the sunlight was too bright and the other students were too loud as Ben sullenly walked to morning class. He pulled a hood over his head to block some noise. It hardly helped.

‘What is it? Benny’s in bad mood again?’ an older boy mocked, and his broad shoulder collided with Ben’s arm.

Ben stumbled forward but didn’t fall. He had a large urge to shut the boy up with a punch. Sparks of energy danced on his knuckles. His common sense spiked alarmingly – he’d had problems because of fights and hurting other students before, and it had even happened when he had a proper control of his abilities.

Ben only pursed his lips tighter and attempted to push his way between the bullies. The two of them, both a head taller than Ben, blocked his way with mean smiles. A few others gathered around them, and the boy who had spoken first, seemingly the leader, took a place behind Ben.

‘Ben hasn’t seen his mommy in a week. Little Ben misses his mommy’ the mocking continued. The group followed with laughter.

It wasn’t the first time Ben was being abused. All of his classmates were at least three years older than him and most of them thought Ben attended advanced courses thanks to familial connections with headmaster rather than talent. Ben tried to let the words fall on deaf ears but they hurt no less than his uncontrolled plasma. He usually paid bullies back in broken noses and teeth.

Today his blood was boiling even before they’d started insulting him. Ben clenched his fists to stop the energy gathering in his palms. The effect was exactly the opposite.

‘What’s going on here?’ Luke’s voice, calm as always, sounded in the corridor.

‘Go on. Tell him you can’t handle being called out’ the boy behind Ben leaned closer to whisper in his ear.

It was the final drop that broke the dam. Ben opened his fists and let the energy collect there in the form of crimson spheres. Before he blew a punch at the nearest opponent, in less than blink, his control of plasma slipped.

Everything around Ben exploded into scarlet hell.

Once the red light diminished and the dust fell down Ben straightened from a curled position and scanned the aftermath. The walls, ceiling and floor around him were scorched black. The pack of bullies as well as other students in the corridor were lying on the floor, unconscious, uncovered parts of their bodies horribly burnt. A foul stench of burnt flesh filled Ben’s nose. He turned around, feeling bile rising in his throat. He had fucked up, really fucked up this time.

Behind him Luke groaned and raised to his knees, cradling his burnt right hand to chest. He managed to shield himself with his telekinetic abilities just in time, but the plasma had still hurt his extended arm.

Ben turned away from his uncle and sprinted to the dorm wing, to his bedroom. He shoved spare clothes and snacks stored for bad days into his backpack and before anyone stopped him in his tracks he left the mansion. He knew well where to go; he had explored the parks and forests surrounding the mansion on sleepless nights, when he had been planning dozens of ways of escape the place. The time had come to use them.

He decided to leave before he hurt anyone else.

 

 

*          *

_Ten years later_

 

Even though it was one of the smaller towns they had visited, this particular one was bustling with energy and was full of people despite the fact it was late evening in the middle of week and Kylo was currently in the town’s outskirts. As for now they – he and his pack - dwelled in an abandoned apartment block and planned to soon find a nice single-family house which residents left for vacations, and move in there for a while, just like in previous towns. Once they unpacked in new location they split the duties: Joan and Li left to buy food, Kylo went to drugstore, and others stayed to prepare for a night. That’s how Kylo ended up walking crowded streets with plastic bags full of toiletries.

He turned from Main Street to the narrow alleys for a shortcut. Sparsely spread lampposts barely lit the surroundings, casting long eerie shadows. Kylo was the only person in sight. He pulled his hood off his head; it was early June which meant pleasant warm days but cold nights, and at this hour a hoodie was essential.  


His ears caught distant sounds. He heard hushed voices, at least three of them. There was an on order, and then a painful grunt. Kylo shrugged to himself and continued the walk until he heard cold mocking laughter, followed by another cry.

Kylo rarely engaged in brawls and definitely wasn’t interested in fighting crime, but something in the pained shout boiled his blood and pushed him toward a parallel alley, the source of the noises.

The street was just as dim and uninviting. In front of him two well-built men in leather jackets were pining a red-haired boy to the wall of building as another man checked inside of a wallet. The boy was writhing in captors’ grip and sputtering curses through gritted teeth. The one with wallet waved his hand and one of the other men punched the boy in stomach. The hit wasn’t strong yet the boy bent in half, coughing and gasping for breath.

Kylo approached at a slow pace, relaxed. He was tall and broad and even with bags full of pads and razors he was intimidating. He hoped it would be enough to scare the thugs away. He wasn’t in the mood for a fist fight and attacking them with plasma, even accidently, would mean compromise and result in having to hasty move out of the town.

‘How about you let him go? With his wallet back’ he asked casually, keeping his voice low and threatening.

‘How about you fuck off?’ the man with wallet, perhaps the group’s leader, plucked a short knife from its sheath on his belt. Its blade was set afire without any visible lighter nor fuel.

_Another talented then._

Kylo didn’t move. The knife was thrown at him. Kylo dropped one bag and curtly flicked his fingers. A wall of red energy appeared in front of him; the weapon clashed with it and fell, extinguished and useless on the ground.

‘How about now?’ Kylo smiled, or rather he barred his teeth.

All three men jumped at him, hurt redhead forgotten. The one who attacked before took out two knives this time, the blades warmed so hot they glowed. The other thief had giants fists covered with stone-like scales. The third didn’t look special.

The first blow, coming from Stone Fists, was as strong as it was bad-aimed. Kylo avoided it with a step to the side and blocked a thrust from Knife Guy. Quick, light hits on wrists knocked the weapons out of his opponent’s hands. Kylo finished him with a solid kick that hit square in his chest and sent the man few meters away on his back.

Stone Fists attacked once more, this time with much better aim and balance. It required more effort to dodge incoming strikes. Kylo attempted to block a punch with his palm shielded with plasma and grunted when momentum reverberated in hand’s bones. With one fist caught by Kylo’s fingers, the thug swung the other one right at his face. Kylo ducked in time and with hand coated in searing plasma struck an uppercut that knocked the opponent onto pavement with burn mark blooming on his jaw.

The third man, Plain Guy, stood a few meters away, watching the duel carefully. He was the smart one, someone who planned their moves based on weaknesses his opponents showed while fighting others. Kylo leisurely tilted his head to the left and then the right, vertebraes crunching loudly, but Plain Guy was undisturbed. Suddenly he lunged forward, pointed fingers aiming at Kylo’s neck. Once again Kylo evaded the hit and the next that came in a fast streak. He struck back but this one knew how to avoid his attacks and Kylo’s punches failed to hit their target.

All of a sudden, the opponent drew a deep breath and spat at him.

The man aimed at Kylo’s face but he missed and saliva landed on the shoulder of Kylo’s hoodie with a telltale hiss. Kylo risked a glance but Plain Guy, who seemed to have toxic or rather acid spit, immediately launched his next attack. Kylo tried to create a distance between them to finish him with a plasma bolt but the guy just almost clinged to him in their close quarters fight, still trying to spit on him. Avoiding the spit, Kylo missed a punch that landed square on his jaw and forced him to stagger few steps back. The opponent drew a deep breath in preparation for big attack, unintentionally giving Kylo the occasion he needed. Kylo created a ball of plasma and shot it in the center of man’s chest, knocking him down for good.

Only then Kylo noticed Knife Guy was standing up again and a white-hot knife was cutting the air in Kylo’s direction.

A blast of a gun and a clang of bullet colliding with metal followed. The blade faltered in its flight and changed direction, grazing Kylo’s sleeve instead of piercing his stomach.

Kylo lifted his gaze. The ginger boy stood straight too his back propped against the wall, his hair disheveled and his lip cut. His fingers were wrapped around trigger of a small gun.

‘Let’s go’ Knife Guy hissed and the three thieves scrambled to their feet and fled from the dim alley.

‘Are you okay?’ Kylo marched slowly toward the boy. His bruised jaw and cut arm were throbbing with dull pain and his knuckles still hurt from Stone Fists’ punches, but it was nothing unbearable.

The boy rubbed at dry blood dribble in corner of his mouth and raked fingers through his red hair to comb it back.

‘Better than I look. You’re in a worse state than I am.’ He had low pleasant voice, definitely masculine in spite of his boyish look. Kylo underestimated his age and realized they must have been around the same age.

Kylo shrugged. ‘It’s nothing. I’m used to it.’ He checked his outfit and saw burnt holes where the thief’s spit had fallen and he winced. It was his favourite hoodie. He sighed and picked the wallet up from the pavement to pass it to the redhead.

‘Are you from here? I haven’t seen you around’ the redhead asked calmly but his eyes thoroughly skimmed Kylo, judging the other man. Kylo paid him back with a careful stare and a cold reply.

‘I arrived just this morning. Just hanging around for some time.’

‘Are you alone?’

‘No. Seven people group.’

The man scoffed. ‘Quite large. Do you have a place to stay?’

‘Not really. We’ve found a place to spend a night but it’s far from a palace.’

‘Then let me return the favor and stay with my group for few days. We reside in abandoned warehouse, there’s plenty of space for your group too. We have a reputation around here and no one will bother you. You’ll be safe with us.’

Kylo stared at him pensively. The boy – _man_ – was quite relaxed, with arms crossed and an honest face. Kylo was good at reading people and their intentions – it might have been something he had inherited from his mother. For years he and his friends had wandered around together and met many similar parties all around the country, small and big, friendly and hostile. As an unofficial leader he had encountered other leaders. Not all of them had good intentions, but thankfully every time Kylo’s mysterious sense alarmed him.

However, this man was utterly sincere. Kylo noticed it in his posture, his features and his green eyes. He looked normal and hadn’t shown any talent during fight, but on the other hand he wasn’t disturbed by the show of Kylo’s and the thugs’ powers. Sometimes normal humans stayed with talented for various reasons. Whether this man normal or talented –  it didn’t really matter for Kylo and his group as long as the man was capable of making good on his offer.

‘Alright. We appreciate’ Kylo finally agreed.

The man passed him the location of warehouse. ‘I’ll inform the watchers that you’re coming. If anyone asked, tell them you’re sent by the General.’

‘General’ Kylo couldn’t stop a smirk. He lifted his hand and the man shook it. ‘I’m Kylo Ren.’

‘Quite original’ the redhead returned a crooked smile. ‘See you later, _Kylo Ren_.’

Without looking back the man – General – spun on his heels and walked away. Kylo watched him until his ginger tuft of hair, distinct in the dark alley, disappeared round the corner.

It took Kylo twenty minutes of walking quickly to reach the abandoned three-story block. No one guarded the entrance as it wasn’t necessary with Sonius’ hearing. Kylo marched toward their new quarters on the ground level and saw the rest of team squatting on their respective sleeping bags set in a circle around campfire, chatting and eating. He approached the and dropped shopping bags on the nearest bedding.

His eyes skimmed over his friends. Matt, tall, with blond curls and glasses. Sonius of short brown hair and grey eyes, wearing modified hearing aids behind both ears. Li, plain-looking Asian. Alyssa, short dark-skinned chubby girl with curly haired tied in two small ponytails. Toby, wearing a few layers of clothes and hood pulled over head to conceal reptilian-like body covered with scale. Joan, slim, pale, with long fair hair pulled in ponytail and electric blue eyes rimmed with eyeliner.

‘Kylo, you’re hurt!’ Alyssa exclaimed and jumped toward him at once to take a glance at his bruised face and the holes in hoodie.

‘Gonna heal itself’ Kylo muttered but it didn’t send the girl off. She laid her hands on his knuckles and jaw until her healing talent eased the pain and healed wounded flesh.

‘Where did you get those?’ Joan asked giving his hands a meaningful look over the rim of big cup of her favourite tea.

‘I’m starving. Can I get something to eat first?’

‘Sure, _boss_ ’ she passed him a cold wrapped sandwich

I told you to not call me that.’

‘Right, _Kylo_ ~’

He groaned and sat down heavily on his sleeping bag on Joan’s right. She was a tease but never meant to upset anyone, unlike people from Kylo’s past. She was also the only member older than Kylo and helped him with many organizational issues so Kylo forgave her a lot.

For a few minutes they munched in a silence that was broken only by sizzling of fire. When Kylo satisfied his hunger he cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention.

‘So, I sort of helped out a guy in the mugging and he offered us to join his group for a while’ Kylo announced and glanced around at his friends’ faces.

‘Random guys don’t offer sharing places just like that’ Li noted.

‘I know, but he was attacked by three talented, saw me using plasma and didn’t even flinch. He didn’t show any talent but he must be familiar with talented’ Kylo responded.

‘I don’t know. You happened to misjudge meeting offers in the past, Kylo.’

‘I trust Kylo’s opinion’ Matt joined in.

‘Toby, you’re quiet’ Joan said softly in the direction of the youngest member. He jerked at being spoken to and slowly raised his gaze from the can he was eating from.

‘We need better place to move in soon anyway, don’t we?’ Toby rasped. He had gravelly voice since he’d transformed two years ago and was difficult to understand. His teammates were used to it. ‘We’ve ran away before. We’ll run away this time too if we need to.’

‘Sonius, what about you?’ Kylo asked.

‘Fine by me!’ he also agreed.

‘Girls?’

‘I don’t know’ Alyssa rubbed her fingers nervously. ‘It’s always nice to meet other talented. It’s worth a try.’

‘And if they try anything we’ll kick their asses’ Joan concluded cracking her knuckles, static buzzing on the backs of her hands.

‘It’s set then’ Kylo nodded. ‘We spend night here and move in the morning. Right?’

‘You’re the boss’ Joan winked.

Kylo leaned to the side and yanked at her fair ponytail.  

*          *

It was almost noon before the whole group was finally ready to leave. With a help of phone’s GPS they took a route toward the warehouse complex outside of town. It was hot and everyone but Toby shed jackets and hoodies to enjoy the pleasant warmth.  

The area was bordered with a high metal fence that they leapt over one by one. They faced at least twenty massive buildings scattered on vast terrain. A single road exited the area and led away, to civilization, otherwise the whole place was isolated from the world. Good for a group of talented to hide.

‘So, where now?’ Matt asked and pushed his glasses up his nose, glancing at the nearest building.

Kylo shrugged. ‘He didn’t tell me which particular warehouse, but he mentioned watchers. We should take a look around and search for any signs of life.’

‘Here’s a life’ Li pointed at a cat sitting in a spot of sunlight few meters away from them, licking leisurely at its paw.

‘It wasn’t there a moment ago’ Alyssa noted.

‘Can you order it to take us to the people living here?’ Joan asked Li. He shook his head in negative reply.

‘My talent doesn’t work on animals.’

‘Pity. Kitty, kitty, come here…’ she crouched and moved her fingers to attract the animal. The cat lifted its stare with cat-alike indifference, then trotted away.

‘You offended it’ Toby said.

‘Maybe we should follow it’ Sonius suggested. He jutted his finger toward the cat that stopped and glared back at them.

‘But it isn’t a white rabbit.’

‘A grey cat is just as good’ Kylo grunted with growing impatience. ‘Look, there’s another cat. And they both seem to be insisting we pay them attention. It won’t hurt to follow them.’

The group slowly marched in the direction shown by the pair of cats, careful not to spook the animals. The cats were calm and walked leisurely between buildings, pausing from time to time to wait for the group to catch up. Finally, they stopped in front of a smaller rectangular warehouse on the other side of area, just by the fence. They sat in front of the entrance and meowed loudly.

‘They’re the creepiest guards I’ve ever seen’ Li muttered.

The metal door slid open with a terrible creak and an incredibly tall – taller than even Kylo and Matt – woman in a tank top and soft pants exited through gap. She eyed them cautiously, arms thick with muscles crossed over her chest. 

‘We were sent by General’ Kylo started warily.

‘Ah yes, he mentioned a seven-person group led by a tall emo’ she smirked and moved to the side to let them in. ‘Welcome to the Finalizer.’

Kylo grinned. And the guy had mocked his name.

The floor of the warehouse was bare concrete. The long walls were made of windows and the glass was covered with a thick layer of years-old dirt that barely let any light inside. The hall was divided by wooden planks joined together as makeshift walls into smaller rooms that were similar to compartments. In the very center was something like a common space, with a low table made of board propped on stacks of bricks and chairs from pallets hammered together. Sitting on the table, the man rescued by Kylo a day ago, was petting a ginger cat on his lap. Next to him stood a lanky blond boy with a bunch of cats around him. Cat guards ran across the hall to the boy and fell down by his feet, arched backs awaiting for a petting hand.

‘Hello Kylo’ the General smiled and watched the group with slightly squinted eyes. ‘So there’s really seven of you. We’ve prepared you a room, but if you prefer two, we can move the walls-‘ Kylo shook his head to decline. They were used to sharing limited space and different genders were no issue. ‘Right. Thanisson will show you the way.’

The cat boy led them further to a box that was big enough to settle down seven sleeping bags comfortably. They left their belongings there and returned to the common space for a lunch. They brought their food supplies and the General’s group offered their own – it was common and polite when groups of talented met. They all sat in a circle sharing food and small talk.

The General’s group consisted of six people – tall blonde Phasma, cat boy Thanisson, nervous dark-haired man called Mitaka, stoic woman named Unamo and the General called Hux. The last one joined them in the middle of meal - tall and scrawny, wearing oversized shirt, with long greasy red hair. Frightened, he sneaked by the wall to sit behind Hux, almost plastered to his back. They shared a shocking resemblance and Kylo realized that they must have been brothers. The ginger newcomer didn’t speak at all, and Hux’ team wasn’t bothered by his silence, seemingly used to it. He picked out a few snacks and retreated to the room he’d come from.

‘That’s my twin brother Techie’ Hux muttered to Kylo. They were sitting next to each other, the leaders of their respective groups. ‘He doesn’t like strangers.’

‘I see’ Kylo nodded in acknowledgement. It wasn’t uncommon for talented to be survivors of various abuses. That’s why they preferred to live in packs consisted of talented – it was safer. That’s why they usually changed their names. Kylo never pried, but as far as he knew, of his people only Alyssa and Matt introduced themselves with their original names.

‘So, Kylo. Where are you from?’

‘Everywhere. We are wanderers. Never set anywhere for longer than few weeks. And you?’

‘We stay as long as we can in one place. We settled in this warehouse half a year ago.’

Phasma, who was sitting on the other side of table from Kylo, leaned closer and cut in, ‘Kylo, right? How the hell did you convince Hux to invite you? We have guests very rarely and I don’t remember housing such a large group!’

Hux grimaced. Kylo searched his face; the redhead was tensed when the woman asked. He was hiding something, but it wasn’t a trap. Kylo had enemies and certain groups turned against him, but none of them were hostile enough to want him captured. The only person who could have possibly offered a bounty on his head was his mother. Kylo supposed that after so many years of ineffective searching she had finally gave up on him.

‘He saved our money and my health. Inviting him and his people seemed like the right thing’ Hux snapped back at Phasma. She sent him an I-know-better smile and returned to her conversation with Joan and Sonius. Even fretful Toby unwrapped a scarf and showed his reptilian face to gathered people.  

Hours fled unnoticed as twelve people were chatting cordially. Hux asked Kylo lots of questions about their previous locations, and though he declared himself more of a settler than nomad, he knew most of the local groups and asked further about befriended talented. Despite himself Kylo answered all of them thoroughly, admiring Hux’ detailed observations on people, tactful comments and sharp humor. Neither of them talked about details from their pasts, but sharing their past was something no talented did willingly.

It was long past midnight when they finally called it a night. Kylo was convinced he wouldn’t sleep a wink that night in strange place, surrounded by strangers, even if he was surrounded by the familiar sounds of sleeping friends. It was just so as he was the leader trusted by his men and it was his obligation to guard them. He was pretty sure Sonius wasn’t asleep either, as even though he was wearing special hearing aid blocking off most of the sounds, he still registered too many of them.

Kylo rolled onto his side and tucked an arm under head. Despite his ardent will not to sleep yet, his eyelids were lead-heavy and his head feel light. As he was on the verge of sleep he saw crooked smile and pair of gleaming green eyes. Before he shook the vision off he dropped into unconsciousness.

*          *

The initial plan was to stay at the warehouse for a couple of nights, a week at best. It altered as members of both groups quickly became associated. No one mentioned leaving yet, even as the counter hit the twelfth day. Staying in such a large group away from shops was uncomfortable and required frequent quests for supplies. At least the warehouse had working plumbing and Kylo and Matt were able to heat water for bathing.

Members of General’s group were still mostly a mystery to Kylo. He discovered that Thanisson was responsible for guarding the warehouse and the whole terrain with the cat subordinates he telepathically talked to. Mitaka had some kind of attacks that left him pale and shivering, and Unamo helped him with recovery. For nearly two weeks Kylo had seen Hux’ brother, Techie, about three times, and every time was no longer than five seconds. Kylo couldn’t believe that twins could be so different – Hux was proud and sturdy, the brave leader of a talented pack, and Techie nervous and skittish. Kylo got a glimpse of Techie’s artificial eyes and it made him flinch. Whatever way Techie had obtained them, it must have been terrible.

One of the merits of Kylo’s group staying at the warehouse was the occasion to spar with new opponents. Matt was the first to ask Phasma. She accepted with a smirk.

They went outside the warehouse, safe distance away from the buildings. Kylo grabbed a pack of crisps and sat in the shadow of the nearest building, curious of the match’s results.

‘I’ll be gentle with you’ Matt’s cockiness was broke by his ever-present habit of adjusting his glasses.

In response Phasma cracked her knuckles and flexed muscular shoulders. She wore a tank top and sweatpants again, and it looked like those were only clothes she owned.

‘I’ll try to not break your bones, boy.’

On purpose or not, the woman enraged Matt. Matt’s greatest weakness, just as Kylo’s, was his short temper, and if he let his temper take reign, his talent went rogue too. A flicker of flame danced over Matt’s knuckles.

Matt didn’t wait for a signal, he just lunged forward with flames around a closed fist. Phasma raised her arm so the punch landed on her forearm which was now covered with shining smooth metallic layer. She grinned like a predator with its pray in its claws and swung a metal fist at Matt’s cheek. The force of the hit swayed him and sent him few meters back.

Matt rubbed at his hurt face, glaring at the woman. Phasma uncurled and recurled her fingers, metal cover rising up her arms to her shoulders. It looked like armor though it was flexible like a second skin.

‘Not so confident now, huh?’

Matt sneered and attacked again. Flaming fists collided with metal in an exchange of quick attacks. Phasma’s silver skin was covered with charred stains where she deflected punches.

The second round lasted much longer, and eventually ended with another victory for Phasma. She knocked Matt on the ground with a powerful hit to the breastbone. Matt didn’t waste any time, immediately jumping to his feet and shooting a fireball in Phasma’s direction. With a grunt she shielded herself with crossed forearms. Her face hidden, she missed Matt jumping forward and got hit in cheek, hard enough to trip her over. Matt wrapped his fingers around her neck which was immediately covered with protective metal. The man emblazed his palms and let them burn. Metal skin slowly blackened and yielded under heat. Phasma started coughing.

‘Matt’ Kylo said with warning. His friend released his opponent and backed off with a victorious sneer.

‘We’re not done yet' Phasma smirked rubbing at her sore neck, fleshy again.

‘Play nice, kids!’ Kylo shouted.

Matt showed his teeth. When Phasma was ready they clashed once again, less aggressive as the level of humiliation was even.

‘He must be your brother.’

Kylo raised his gaze to see Hux approaching and sitting beside him.

‘You won't believe it but we aren’t siblings.’

Hux scoffed. ‘Impossible. You look the same except for hair colour. Even your talents are similar!’

‘But it's true' Kylo grinned. ‘We met about seven years ago. Matt, just like I, has a talent strongly depending on his mood. When we first met, he could barely control it. Since our talents are similar, I could share my experience how to control it, because back then I was years ahead with experience on how to control it. He sometimes still has problems with temper…’ Kylo waved his hand in general direction of Matt who was throwing a series of fireballs at Phasma, ‘but he'll overcome it.’

‘So you're not only leader but also mentor?’

Kylo shrugged. ‘Aren't we all? You can always learn something from other's experiences.’

‘So this is what you are? A wandering band of self-taught talented?’

‘We are…’ Kylo considered the answer. He shouldn't have spoken his mind to practical stranger, but Hux no longer felt like stranger. He still didn't share any sensitive details with Kylo, but no one ever did. Secrets were shared only with trusted friends.

‘We're just a bunch of losers hanging around together, giving each other the support we need. I'm an older brother for them, helping, scolding, consoling. When I met Matt, he had just ran away after he'd accidentally set a fire to his own house. Sonius has an incredibly wide range of hearing, but I met him when he was bending over a bridge's railing, ready to jump because all of those sounds drove him crazy. Toby is covered with reptile-like scales. It’s not an illness he can pass with touch but until he met us no one wanted to touch him. His own parents locked him in the house so that no one would discover their son, who was meant to be perfect, had changed. Alyssa can force body cells to regenerate faster but if she slips cells mutate into malignant cancer. Even Joan was troubled. She strikes lightning, that’s cool. But her palms are terribly scarred because before she learnt how to control it she got burned every time she used it.’

Kylo didn't mention the huge tree-like Lichtenberg figure marring Joan's back, the mark he had traced with his fingertips numerous times.

He looked up at Hux. The man was in deep shock, eyes wide open and mouth slack. He certainly didn't expect such a confession. Kylo shouldn't have revealed friends' backstories, but his intuition whispered that Hux could be trusted.

‘So, we're just group of talented gathered together because of our fucked-up abilities' Kylo concluded.

With a sigh Hux sat straight and propped his back against the wall. Phasma and Matt disappeared from the field at some point.

‘Mitaka has visions of future. They're mostly just possibilities, not fixed, and rarely pleasant. You saw him, he goes rigid immediately and then starts crying every time it happens' Hux said quietly.

Kylo nodded. He didn't expect Hux to reciprocate. He curled in on himself and hugged his knees closely to his chest.

‘When I was thirteen I caused an accident. I hurt my uncle and possibly killed few classmates' Kylo muttered. He hoped it was too quiet for Hux to hear it.

For a few long moment they were both silent.

Then Hux blurted, ‘I’m not talented, neither is Techie. We were subjects of our father's attempts to induce mutation in children. The experiment lasted two years, and we are the only children who survived. The others…’ he shivered. ‘Most of them died within an hour after injections, throwing up and bleeding from the nose and eyes. Those who were lucky to survive it died within a week of very acute leukemia induced by whatever father applied us. Techie lost his eyes. And I…’ he flinched once again and hid face with hands. ‘I’ve survived it all, and changed. I think faster and in more complex way. Have better reflexes. But my body changed too. You saw it that evening. A light push and I’m bruised. Mild hit and my bones break. I’m certain if you didn’t appear in time they’d have killed me, on purpose or not.’

Now it was Kylo’s turn to gape dumbfounded at Hux. He didn’t like comparing whose life was worse, but between them Hux definitely won. He noticed that the inside of Hux’ elbows were peppered with tiny needle scars and the cut on his lip still looked fresh, even though it had been two weeks since he was injured.

A sudden wave of anger washed over him and a prickling sensation of plasma gathered under his skin. How did anyone dare to touch kids, experiment on them, try to forcefully change them, when those born in that way were ostracized?

‘How did you survive?’ Kylo’s voice was very low, but still felt blasphemous.

‘We ran away, with help of one of father’s workers. We were twelve. She stayed with us until we met Phasma and decided to wander off. Over the next year Mitaka, Unamo and Thanisson joined us. So, that’s who we are, just like you. Band of freaks trying to make a decent life.’

‘Yeah.’

The air between them changed. They looked each other in the eyes, at last they fully understood the most crucial moments of their lives. Comfortable silence fell and the men sat in the shadow of the warehouse, wrapped in their own thoughts.

*          *

Kylo didn’t speak to Hux for next two days. On the third day it was Hux who approached first, stomping angrily towards him while Kylo was observing another sparring session, this time Joan against Phasma.

‘Tell Matt to stop harassing my brother’ Hux hissed. His eyes were two stormy clouds, close to striking lightning just like Joan.

Kylo tilted his head and saw said pair talking in a far corner. Matt was gesturing lively and Techie stood in front of him, slightly hunched forward and hugging himself, but smiling shyly, staring at Matt’s face with artificial eyes.

‘He doesn’t look harassed’ Kylo remarked.  

Hux leaned closer and growled into Kylo’s ear, ‘Right. He’s just hitting on him. But remember he’s going to leave one day.’

Kylo looked up. Hux was frowning, fringe mussed and hanging over his forehead, making him look almost cute.

‘I’ll talk to him’ he grunted in reply glowering back.

Hux scoffed, spun on his heel and left just as quick as he came. Kylo groaned and returned his attention to the fighting women.

During dinner he informed everyone about his group’s leaving the next day. His friends answered with a group whine and multiple questions. Kylo replied, partially sticking to truth, that together they were too large a group and soon someone would notice signs of life there or often trips to nearest shops. If police got word and suspected them of doing something illegal they all would be in big trouble. Still whining, they accepted the answer.

Kylo shot a glance at Hux who nodded lightly. Hux was master of blank face but there was something in his eyes beside satisfaction, something Kylo couldn’t name.

Joan caught him when they were moving to the sleep room.

‘Can you at least give one reason?’ she hissed. She held him up out from earshot of the rest, her slim fingers closed around Kylo’s bicep in an iron grip.

He shrugged. ‘We’re fed up with each other a bit. Soon we’ll start arguing. It’s better to leave now.’

‘My ass’ she muttered and went away, irate. Just like the others, she’d grown on Hux’ team, and the feeling was mutual. It hadn’t happened with any other group before.

The next day mirrored their glum mood – the weather was dry and stifling, with oppressive dark grey clouds hanging low. After breakfast everybody but Hux and Techie gave each other warm farewell hugs. Techie tried to hide the fact that he was looking sheepishly at Matt, with meagre effect. Matt noticed and hesitantly stepped to the twins. Under Hux’s scrutiny, he stiffly patted Techie’s shoulder.

‘So, where we go now, _boss_?’ Joan asked once the left the warehouse area, with plain barb in her voice.

‘We stick to the plan. Going north to the next town’ Kylo grunted in response and marched forward. Others followed him at various pace, group scattered to pairs with Kylo alone at the fore.

They wandered a whole day along a local road with the forest on its other side. The road was unpopular and only a few trucks passed them by. They stopped for two short breaks, otherwise marching forward, rarely speaking. Kylo hadn’t spoke at all and no one bothered him in his sour mood.

When it began to darken, Joan, in place of an indifferent Kylo, called for a night stop. Unexpectedly, Toby objected.

‘Something don’t feel right. We’d better go farther.’

‘Come on, we’re not sleeping in plain sight by the road. We’ll go deeper into the wood, no one will see us, and in the morning we resume hiking to reach the town before dusk’ Joan explained and crossed the empty road. Others followed her until Kylo and Toby were the only two left.

‘I feel like this’s wrong too. But don’t panic. We have Sonius’ Kylo said and put his big hand on Toby’s shoulder, giving him a supportive squeeze. Toby was the youngest and newest member of his group and sometimes lacked confidence in the other members, forged by months of overcoming hardships together.

The whole evening all seven of them stayed hyperaware, especially Sonius. He was pacing around the campfire for almost all the entire time, listening for potential incomers. When they eventually laid wrapped in sleeping bags, it took a long time until they fell asleep.

It felt like only minutes after Kylo closed his eyes that Sonius was shaking him awake. It was completely dark and silent spare the night bugs’ chirping.

‘Someone’s there’ he mouthed soundlessly.

Kylo jumped to his feet, simultaneously summoning plasma in palms. Two dull red spheres lit the surroundings, waking up others. They stirred in their bags and mumbled incoherent questions.

The clearing was suddenly flood with the eye-burning light of numerous torches that blinded the seven. The spheres in Kylo’s hands vanished as he blinked furiously, waiting for his eyes to get used to the light. When he could finally see again, he witnessed a group of at least two dozen heavily armed masked men. They looked like special forces troops but bore no name nor emblem. Groups of three seized and threw Li, Alyssa and Toby on the ground. Sonius hanged unconsciously in another captor’s grip. Matt and Joan were surrounded by and fighting about six opponents each, and the odds were against them.

Something hard hit Kylo between the shoulder blades and knocked him on the ground. He turned to see a grunt standing above him, holding their rifle ready to hit him with the butt once more. Kylo rolled on to his back and kicked them under their knees. They shouted and fell on the ground next to Kylo. He punched them with plasma-enveloped fist and the enemy flopped back, limp.

Blinding pain erupted in Kylo’s core. He glanced down and saw a gushing shot wound in his left side. Overwhelmed with pain and shock he wobbled and used all his strength to keep from falling. Someone called his name. Someone shouted. He couldn’t make who; his groggy mind refused to focus on anything else other than pain.

Pain and fury fueled his inner fire.

He pressed a palm to his wound and howled from agony when plasma seared the wound and stopped the bleeding. His vision cleared gradually. He was surrounded by four attackers with raised guns, ready to shoot him once more.

Fire thrummed in his veins. Kylo barred his teeth and struck.

It took him years to gain control over his ability. He got hurt more times than he could count, but it bore expected fruits.

With fists covered in plasma he lunged forward and knocked the three back with one swing of arm. Next bullets were shot at him and plasma shields rose around him even without his will and melted missiles into atoms before they reached him. Grunts stepped away from his blackened out friends to help their comrades. He bested all of them with long arches of plasma created in his hands. He moved his wrists swiftly as if he was dancing with a sash.

He missed a glint of a knife in hands of an opponent. A second wave of pain and blood numbed his face. This time he stumbled and collapsed, blinded by the blood drowning his eyes.

Kylo felt a prickle at his neck, almost unnoticed among the pain radiating by face wound, and it was the last thing he remembered before the darkness wrapped around him.

*          *

Consciousness returned gradually and without hurry. Kylo’s eyelids twitched before they finally cracked open. Before he even knew what he was doing he rolled out of bed and crouched with his back pressed to the nearest wall, ablaze fists raised protectively, ready to deflect an oncoming attack.

Somebody on the other side of the bed cried and tripped over as they moved from the stool they were sitting on.

Kylo drew a deep breath to calm his survival reflex down and blinked a few times. He was in the corner of a sparsely furnished bedroom. He was wearing soft pants and nothing else. His middle was wrapped in fresh bandages. His face felt numb and sore at the same time, and his skin pulled awkwardly across it. In front of him was a bed, further a stool and the shaking top of a head covered with straight red hair.

‘T-techie?’ Kylo stuttered.

The called out individual slowly raised from behind bed and confirmed that it was frightened Techie.

‘Y-you’re awake’ he mumbled.

The door slammed open and loudly hit the wall. In the doorframe stood Hux, at the same time irritated and relieved with the view before him.

‘What the hell are you doing?! You’ll open your wounds!’ he hissed and stomped forward to tug Kylo back to bed and tuck sheets around him, despite the fact he was about half of Kylo’s width.

‘What the fuck happened?’ Kylo didn’t have patience nor cared to be polite.

Hux ignored the question. He helped Techie stand up and muttered to him, ‘I take care of him. Go tell Rae he’s awake.’

Techie nodded and fled from the room. Hux closed the door behind him and sat heavily on the stool, watching Kylo carefully as if expecting an attack from him.

‘Mitaka woke up shouting after another vision. It was so vivid he was sure it wass real.’ Hux paused, searching for words. ‘He saw you being attacked in the forest. You were hurt. The rest were taken away. We waited until dawn and went to search. We found you lying unconscious. Your belongings were scattered around. Traces of a fight were everywhere. The rest of your team was nowhere to be seen. You were heavily wounded…’ he paused once again and breathed deeply. ‘You needed medical attention. I contacted my friend living half an hour of ride away, we’re in her house now, and she brought trusted medic to sew you together. Sorry we don’t have a healer in our party.’

Kylo grunted and responded, ‘Can your friend be trusted?’

‘I trust her with my life. She busted me and Techie out of the lab.’

Kylo nodded.

‘What happened to you Kylo?’

‘I’m not sure. Toby warned us when we were setting camp, that something felt wrong, but Sonius was on post and we went to sleep… He woke me up right before we were attacked. There was about twenty-five of them. Well-armed, looked like a private task force.’

Hux flinched and dug his fingers into the flesh of his thighs.

‘You have such a powerful enemy?’ he asked deadly serious.

‘No! I have enemies but none holding a grudge big enough to hire a bunch of thugs!’ Kylo snapped irritated. A stab of pain went through his side. ‘But you look scared.’

Hux scoffed and frowned. ‘Just a stupid thought.’

‘My friends are kidnapped! No thought is stupid now!’ Kylo roared.

The door slammed open once more and Kylo saw a tall, dark-skinned woman. She was wrinkled with age and her hair was heavily streaked with white, but she beamed with an aura of strength and authority Kylo was impressed.

‘Please don’t yell in my house’ she asked, or rather ordered, with low voice. Kylo shut his mouth and sat up straighter.

‘Thank you. We’re very sorry for what happened to your friends, but we can’t do anything for them right now. You’re severely injured. We have no means to find nor rescue them.’

Heat flowed in his veins and anger rose in Kylo’s throat, burning and scalding. He hid his face in his hands and felt stutters under his palms. Fury transformed into horror as he remembered he’d got wounded there too.

‘Can I have a mirror?’ he asked hoarsely.

The woman sneaked out and returned after a moment with a pocket mirror and a glass of water. She passed him the mirror and set the glass on a nightstand.

Kylo’s hands were trembling when he raised the mirror to head level and took a look. His face was slashed diagonally from forehead to jaw and further to the shoulder. The wound was cleaned and sewn expertly, and still lightly swollen.

The woman said, ‘The doctor did his best but it’s still going to leave an ugly scar.’

Kylo huffed and slowly laid the mirror on bed. He closed his eyes and tried to reign in a rush of thoughts racing in his head, of his injuries, of his friends, of the future.

He felt a reserved touch at the forearm. His eyelids flew open and he saw Hux leaned in closer, his hand on Kylo’s in an attempt to give him comfort. He looked deeply worried.

‘Is there anything I can do for you?’ Hux asked softly.

Kylo pondered. ‘I want to be alone. I need to think.’

‘Just call if you need anything. We’re right next to your room’ Rae said and left.

Hux lingered. He gave Kylo a squeeze and fled from the room, closing the door after himself.

Kylo flopped down on the pillows and carefully rubbed at his face. The situation was bleak. Whatever the reason was that his friends had been kidnapped, the way it had been performed suggested only the worse possibilities. Bounty, or worse, experiments…

Kylo’s hearts fluttered in a panic. It sometimes happened. Talented suddenly disappeared and were never found. No reasonable talented showed off their abilities to keep from drawing the unnecessary attention of public eye or scientists, but accidents happened, and footages of these accidents were aired for weeks.

To each of the six people following him, Kylo had promised safety at the cost of his own life. He had failed them. He had to fix it.

But how, when he was stuck in bed?

*          *

It required long hours of meditation, but Kylo finally found the way.

Grunting with pain, he got up and limped down the corridor to the living room, the source of hushed voices.

Hux was sitting on a couch, hunched, with elbows on his knees and hands covering his face. Rae was preparing coffee in the kitchen annex and stopped talking when Kylo entered the room. A red cat that had accompanied Hux for the whole time in warehouse slept peacefully beside him. Hearing Kylo’s arrival Hux abruptly raised his head. His eyes were red-rimmed from lack of sleep.

‘What the fuck are you doing here?’ he growled. ‘You’ll pull out stitches! Get back to bed!’

‘I must leave’ Kylo said. His voice was still hoarse; submerged deeply in thoughts, he completely forgot about the water on nightstand.

‘You have two weeks of bed rest. At least. The doctor will decide then if it needs to be prolonged’ Rae stated. She picked up two mugs and sat on the couch beside Hux and passed him a mug.

‘Where I want to go there are talented healers. They will put me together.’

‘Can you at least tell us where you must go, or is it a secret?’ she asked with barb.

Kylo dragged a chair from beside the dining table in front of the couch and slumped on it. He looked right into Hux tired eyes, and Hux stared back curiously.

‘You remember when I told you about the accident I caused? It was in school for talented that my uncle leads.’

Hux nodded.

‘My uncle is a very powerful talented. His power is his mind: he can manipulate objects through telekinesis, read minds, talk telepathically, and locate people too. He doesn’t know my friends but maybe, through me, he’d be able to…’ his voice died in his throat. It was the only hope he had and clinged to it, desperately. ‘We parted, hmm, not on good terms. But he always taught me that I should calm my emotions down and forgive others, so I hope we’ll manage to cooperate. And when I know where they are, I’ll find a way to free them.’

Hux dropped his gaze at the inside of the mug, fingers tightening around the cup. He frowned a little, lost in his thoughts.

‘Where is this school?’ he asked in the end.

Kylo replied, and Rae scoffed. ‘It’s quite far and you’re weak. There’s no way you can make it there.’

‘I’ll go with him’ Hux announced.

Kylo and Rae turned their heads sharply and gaped at him.

‘You paid me back for your rescue. You really don’t have to. You have your people to take care of’ Kylo’s voice was unexpectedly thick with emotions.

Hux shrugged. ‘They’re capable of protecting themselves. I’ll make sure you get there safely and return. It won’t take longer than a few days. For that time they’ll stay with Rae.’

Kylo watched him warily, trying to understand what drove Hux to make such a bizarre offer. The conclusion was - he didn’t know. Hux’ eyes were shining with determination and energy Kylo hadn’t seen in him before.

‘I won’t dissuade you. I need your help’ Kylo said gravely serious. Instead of answering, Hux unwrapped hand from mug and brushed fingertips against back of Kylo’s hand. His fingers were smooth and warm from the cup.

‘Talented need to help each other, right?’ Hux gave him a crooked, tired smile.

*          *

Kylo was shoved back to bed under threat of being cuffed to it. He yielded; he got the plan and found an unexpected ally, and his heart settled, if just a little. With Hux, they decided on leaving the next morning.

Later, when the sun set, he heard the clattering of people gathering for a meal, followed by hushed peaceful talk, from time to time interrupted by a fit of laughter. His guts clenched painfully. Kylo tried to reroute his thoughts from the current whereabouts of his friends to anything else.

A quiet knocking on the door helped.

‘Come in.’

The door creaked open just a little and Techie’s head poked in.

‘I-I’m not disturbing your rest?’ he mumbled, lingering in the doorframe.

‘Not at all. Come in please.’

Techie sneaked in and perched at the stool still standing by Kylo’s bed. He was holding something short and cylinder-shaped on his knees, with his fingers clenched hard around the object.

‘Armie said you two are leaving tomorrow.’

‘Armie?’ Kylo asked dumbfounded.

Techie leaned forward hiding a furious blush on his face behind a curtain of hair. ‘He didn’t tell you his real name? Oh my, I screwed up…’

Kylo waved his hand. ‘Okay, I forgot it and you didn’t reveal anything. What’s the matter?’

Techie opened fingers, letting Kylo take a closer look at what he was holding. It was made of dull dark metal.

‘While you were staying with us, Hux and I were watching you sparring. Hux observed your style and pointed out that you waste energy on plasma arches that are unnecessarily big, and instead you should use something smaller and concentrated. I-I have a knack for tinkering, so he asked if I could help…’ he pushed the cylinder on bed and folded his hands on his lap.

Kylo carefully lifted the thing to face level and investigated it. Whatever it was, it seemed crude and half-finished, with plating incomplete and a single wire wrapping around it.

‘It wasn’t finished before you left, but while you were sleeping, I managed to complete it. It’s a… it’s intended to be something like a hilt of a sword’ Techie explained. ‘The inner mechanism is supposed to concentrate plasma into a beam of controlled length. Hux’ calculations were estimated and I’m not sure how it’ll work...’

‘You expect it not working at all or bursting?’

‘Rather the latter.’

Kylo huffed. The idea was interesting. He grabbed the hilt properly and swung his arm experimentally. It laid pleasantly in his hand. Hux’ idea of what, a plasma sword, sounded crazy but Kylo was intrigued.

‘So, how exactly does it work?’

‘There’s a crystal inside that focuses your plasma. You should, umm, flow plasma through it?’

Kylo eyed the hilt with concerns. If it exploded, he’d hurt Techie. But he really wanted to give it a try.

‘Why?’ he asked.

‘Why what?’ Techie was confused.

‘Why did you do this? Why you two even care? Don’t say “because you saved him”, I’m sick of that excuse.’

Techie shrugged, his fingers fiddling with the fabric of pants. ‘Hux may seem indifferent and cold, even cruel, but he cares very deeply for his people, for me, even if he doesn’t show it. Without him we’re lost. He isn’t grateful for you saving his life because of selfishness, but of care for us.’

‘So why he’s leaving with me? He paid his debt and owes me nothing. I’m aware we all befriended each other but if he’s so worried about you, then why will he leave?’

‘I don’t know.’

Kylo grunted in acknowledgement, keeping his anger at bay. It wasn’t Techie he should be angry with. Instead, he closed his eyes and focused on the hilt’s inside. Indeed there was a stone shard vibrating minutely. Kylo probed it with the smallest spark of energy and it tinged stronger. Very carefully, Kylo channeled more energy into it until it was overloaded and radiated excess energy in the form of blazing red beam. Above his grip, two smaller beams appeared creating a crossguard.

Techie yelped excitedly. ‘It works! Even the side vents! Perfect!’

Kylo swung the blade. He felt its heat on his face, otherwise it was safe from explosion. He stopped the flow of energy and the blade immediately died out.

‘Yeah. It’s perfect’ he couldn’t stop a grin from forming on his face. He leaned in to hug Techie who immediately stiffened in his embrace.

‘Um sorry, I shouldn’t’ Kylo backed off ashamed.

‘N-nah, it’s just I didn’t expect it. Anyway, I’m really happy it works.’

‘You’re genius Techie!’

Techie rubbed palms nervously. ‘It was Hux who did  most of the work. I only assembled the parts based on his plans…’

‘I still appreciate’ Kylo grinned once more.

‘I’m glad. I’m not disturbing you anymore. Rest well, and good luck w-with finding… Your friends.’

‘I’ll do whatever I can to bring Matt and the others back.’

Kylo didn’t miss the blush rising on Techie’s cheeks when he nodded in goodbye and fled from the room.

*          *

Hux and Kylo took off in a car borrowed from Rae right after sunrise to avoid morning traffic.

‘Do you even have a license? You look like a teenager?’ Kylo teased from the passenger seat. His facial wound was now dressed too, making speaking a bit hard.

‘I’m not the one who dresses himself like emo high school student’ Hux bit back without even sparing him a glance, staying focused on road. ‘I’m ninety percent sure I’m older than you. I’m twenty five.’

Kylo choked and coughed. ‘No way you’re that old!’

Hux’ answered by curving his lips lightly into a small smile.

‘So you and Techie lives in warehouses for what, thirteen years?’

‘Yes. At the beginning we hid with Rae. When we were old enough to live on our own we left. She isn’t talented and we were still being hunted by father’s minions, and we didn’t want to put her at risk. By then Techie mastered the art of hacking bank accounts and credit cards unnoticed. We made a living. Later we met Phasma, and the others.’

Hux’ talkativeness was suspicious, but Kylo didn’t mind.

‘And you?’

‘I was just a little punk when I fled. Unstable powerful punk with anger management issues. I didn’t stay anywhere for longer than a day or two, because my uncle could have located me. It lasted a few years. I grew up, found a way to center myself and control my talent. I met Joan. Then Li, then Matt, Alyssa, Sonius and half a year ago Toby. With nowhere to go, we wandered across the country having fun. Pretending we can live like any other.’

Hux didn’t reply. A crease appeared between his brows as he still stared at the asphalt.

‘You know’, he started with a lower tone, ‘I spoke to Joan back in the warehouse. She said that when you can’t hear it they called themselves the Knights of Ren. Yes, you heard it correctly. They call themselves your knights because of what you did for all of them. You helped them find peace, accept who they are, and embrace abilities they considered curses. They’ll never forget it and they’ll do anything for you until their last breaths.’

Kylo’s breath hitched as his heart rose to his throat. He tilted his head back and inhaled a few times until his racing pulse slowed down.

‘I shouldn’t have said it. You’re so red I’m afraid you’ll bleed’ Hux noticed with a smirk. ‘Try to get some sleep. We’re about three hours off from our destination.’

‘You won’t get there without my assistance.’

Hux pointed at a phone with GPS on the dashboard. ‘I don’t need you.’

Kylo scoffed with pretended sullenness and nested himself more comfortably in the seat. Despite his will he felt fatigue seeping into his limbs.

‘You’re aware that, regardless of your objections, Techie fell for Matt, aren’t you?’ he muttered half-awake.

He heard Hux sighing. ‘Yes, I’m aware.’

‘What are we going to do about it?’

‘Don’t mind it until we get them back.’

‘Mhmm.’

Before he knew Kylo dozed off.

*          *

He was woken by Hux gently shaking his shoulder.

‘We arrived’ he whispered. ‘We’re at the property’s gate but I don’t know what to tell the intercom.’

Kylo yawned and stretched, spine popping loudly, before he gave an answer.

‘Say that, um, it’s Ben Solo.’

‘Ben?’ Hux snorted with laughter. ‘It’s better than Kylo, you should’ve sticked to it.

‘Ah right, _Armie_?’

‘How do you know?’ Hux hissed.

‘A little bird told me. Now, weren’t you speaking to the intercom?’

Hux turned to the opened window and repeated Kylo’s words to the speaker. The gate slid open.

‘Just ride along, it leads straight to mansion’ Kylo offered.

Hux drove until they reached the old house. Kylo unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the vehicle, to see a familiar small silhouette running toward them.

‘For goodness’ sake, Ben, it’s really you!’ Leia threw her arms wide ready to hug him, then she noticed his patched-up face. ‘What happened?!’

Kylo felt Hux’ curious stare burning at the back of his neck. He said with his voice thick of contained discomfort, ‘It’s a long story, mom. I came because I need uncle’s help.’

‘He sensed you approaching, but I didn’t believe him. Ten long years… Can you imagine what we have been through?!’ her tone changed to be sharp and accusing.

Kylo blushed under her scrutiny. ‘Mom, it’s not a good moment. The matter is urgent.’

‘What else would bring you back here if not something urgent. At least introduce me to your friend.’ Leia looked at Hux who joined at Kylo by his side.

‘Mom, this is my friend Hux. Hux, this is my mother Leia Organa.’

The drop of Hux’ jaw was almost audible but he politely hid the shock behind a friendly smile and shook Leia’s hand as a greeting.

The woman guided them through the corridors still impressed in Kylo’s memory. He recognized them all, recalling the good and bad moments that he experienced in the school. Mostly bad, but he admitted there were nice memories too.

Hux tugged at his wrists and held him behind, out of Leia’s ears.

‘You forgot to mention you’re a son of Leia Organa.’

‘I didn’t see it as an issue.’

‘You don’t see? She’s a goddamn senator! One of the most powerful politicians in the whole country!’

‘Does it change anything?’

A few steps later, Hux asked again, ‘Is she talented too?’

‘Yes. She has the gift of influencing people’s thoughts and choices. Like Li, but she’s much stronger.’

‘But she’s a politician, a public persona! A talented never held such a position!... Oh’ Hux fell silent when he realized the situation.

‘Exactly. She hates it but sometimes she uses her talent at work.’

Hux dropped the subject, occupied with processing what he’d just heard.

They entered the headmaster’s office. Kylo almost didn’t recognize Luke sitting behind the same old desk. Just like his sister, he was wrinkled and his hair was grey, giving him an austere look. His bright blue eyes, always so livid, had lost their youthful shine. His right hand, propped up on the surface of desk as he rose from his seat at the sight of guests, was a black prosthetic, its view stabbing Kylo’s heart with guilt.

‘Welcome home, Ben’ Luke gave him a warm smile that quickly turned into a concerned frown. ‘Did you come here because of your injuries?’

‘Not exactly. I need your help, uncle.’

Luke moved to his left, to the couch and the two armchairs set around the coffee table by the windows, and took a seat on his favourite armchair in the corner. Kylo and Hux sat on the couch. Leia very much wanted to sit by her son but in the end she sat on the second armchair.

Kylo considered where to start.

‘I lead a group of six talented. Three days ago we were attacked in a forest in the south. I got hurt’ he vaguely waved his hand around his face, ‘and the rest were kidnapped. I have no idea who did it or where they were taken, but I must find and help them.’

His words were followed by a long silence.

‘You must be truly desperate’ Luke commented. He weaved his fingers together on his lap, looking inquiringly at him.

Kylo gritted teeth. ‘I am. They’re- they’re my family now. I need your help to locate them. But if you refuse-‘

‘No one has refused you anything, Ben’ Leia cut in. Her features remained stoic, thanks to decades of working as politician, but her voice betrayed her – it shivered with happiness and plea, for her son not to leave, to stay by her. ‘We’re just very surprised by your arrival, Ben. We’ll provide you any support you need.’

Kylo’s fists clenched against his will. Even though he’d prepared himself for lots of potential problematic questions, accusations and uncomfortable statements, he wasn’t prepared for a flood of affection that he didn’t deserve. He’d cut away from his family years ago for a reason, which he was tempted to remind Leia of, but with Hux by his side the words didn’t want to leave his throat.

‘I just need to locate them. And it’d be nice to visit a healer’ Kylo said finally.

‘Healer foremost’ Hux spoke for the first time. All present looked at him. ‘He has a shot wound in his side. It was dressed by a conventional doctor in my friend’s home. It’d be good if someone with qualifications took a look at it.’

Luke nodded. ‘It sounds serious. Kalonia will treat you, and then I’ll try to find your friends through you.’

Something heavy resting on the bottom of Kylo’s heart disappeared suddenly, leaving him giddy and light. ‘Thank you.’

Luke gave him an understanding, somehow sad smile.

*          *

Healing by talented was never pleasant. Energy flowing through the patient’s body left the itching feeling of something clinging to their skin, urging one to scratch at the newly healed flesh.

Kylo was lying on the exam table for half an hour before the healer announced that she was finished with the side wound and then she moved on to the facial injury. She warned him that it’d still leave a scar and he shrugged in reply. Physical appearance didn’t matter much for Kylo and the wound was a nuisance that he gladly got rid of.

Hux was waiting for him in the anteroom. Luke and Leia stayed outside and as soon as Kylo closed the door they started arguing, the door muting their words.

Kylo’s mind was unsettled again. Even if Luke located his teammates, it’d be less than half of a success. Extracting them would be far more complicated. Leia had complicated things too, with her eyes shining with hope, as if he’d announced that he was returning home. He couldn’t. He had his pack now, and he’d done things Leia wouldn’t be proud of, including the incident with Luke and the students.

‘You’re cringing. Please relax’ the doctor instructed. Kylo complied.

After another quarter hour she finished. Kylo gingerly touched the still raw flesh of his scar. It certainly didn’t look beautiful, but at least it wouldn’t get infected and he could speak again.

With a silent Hux at his side Kylo took a route back to the headmaster’s office. He didn’t expect Luke to have other guests.

He didn’t expect one of them to be Poe Dameron, his old classmate. The only person he would call his friend back in his school days. The boy had been present _in the corridor_ on _that_ day, so Kylo was pretty sure he was dead.

Yet Poe looked quite alive, with a nonchalant grin plastered to too handsome face. He had a ridiculous small white-and-orange bird sitting on his shoulder, chirping lowly.

A complicated situation became even more complicated.

Next to Poe sat a girl with brown hair tied in three buns on the back of her head. She was glancing at him with intelligent brown eyes, oddly familiar to Kylo.

Poe raised from the chair and threw his arms around Kylo. He was almost a head shorter than Kylo. Kylo stiffened at once; Poe was always very affectionate, too much for Kylo to feel comfortable with constant hugs, especially with Hux by his side.

‘Heavens’ mercy, Ben, you’re alive!’

‘Um, hey to you too, Poe’ Kylo wheezed. His ribcage was a hairsbreadth from being crushed. Poe stepped back but didn’t stop gaping at Kylo like his presence was a miracle.

‘Ben, you remember Rey, right?’ Luke looked at the girl.

Things in Kylo’s head clicked right in place, a memory of a small girl with a bright smile resurfaced in front of his eyes. She must have been around eighteen now, but she looked older with stoic features, reminding Kylo of his own mother. Rey must have spent a lot of time with Leia.

Rey greeted him only with curt nod. She stayed alert, and Kylo didn’t blame her.

‘How are you?’ Luke asked, frowning with concern.

‘I’m fine’ Kylo reflexively rubbed at the fresh scar on face. ‘Can we proceed to locating my friends?’

‘Are you sure you don’t want to rest for a while?’

‘No.’

Luke pointed to the door on his right. ‘We’ll be back in a moment.’

Kylo glanced at Hux and he stared back with an understanding expression.

Luke paced to the adjoining room with Kylo right behind him. It was a small soundproof room Luke used for lonely meditation and therapeutic sessions with troubled students. Kylo’s, or rather Ben’s, sessions hadn’t taken place there but in a training hall since he had burnt the walls when he was eleven.

The room was unfurnished spare a scattered pile of pillows for sitting on. Luke sat cross-legged in the middle of room and Kylo dropped in front of him. Hesitation swelled in his chest despite his determination.

‘I’ll focus on the memories of your friends. But memories are elusive and I may accidentally touch something else’ Luke said.

‘Yeah, I know.’

Luke watched him with attention so intense it almost burned Kylo’s skin. Many emotions whirled in his blue irises and Kylo couldn’t quite distinguish them – happiness or anger, relief or suspicion. His hands wandered to grab Kylo’s.

Kylo closed his eyes and focused on bringing down the barriers he’d built around his mind years ago so Luke wouldn’t find him. He flinched at the forgotten feeling of his uncle probing his thoughts. Kylo sifted for the harmless memories of his friends and offered them to Luke, hoping he wouldn’t dig deeper.

Luke watched them carefully, often pausing, focusing on Kylo’s impressions and emotions concerning his friends rather than the memories themselves. He mused over an image of Kylo, Joan and Li enjoying themselves on a beach, each holding a can of beer, of Kylo instructing Matt on proper meditative breathing, of Kylo and Matt presenting Sonius a modified hearing aid, and dozen others happy moments.

‘With whom do you share the strongest bond?’ Luke asked quietly.

Kylo considered unhurriedly. He debated between Matt and Joan, and in the end replied, ‘Joan’, hoping Luke wouldn’t ask further. He didn’t, focused solely on the memories of woman.

Then he split his mind to search for her. Kylo imagined one invisible hand still closed around his and another reaching far, far away toward Joan. Kylo tried to help by providing more memories after careful filtering out those Luke didn’t need to see.

Kylo’s muscles stiffened and began to ache. He lost the track of how long they meditated but he was determined to stay as long as needed.  

Luke opened his eyes and looked at his nephew.

‘I’ve got her. Others are close to her.’

Kylo exhaled, his heart fluttering wildly with relief.

‘Where are they?!’

Luke stood up without a word and walked back to the main room, and Kylo followed right at his heels. Poe and Rey were still in their seats and Hux was standing by the window, with his back propped against the wall. Luke sat by his desk and Kylo stood close to him, waiting for the news.

A door opened. Leia and a young dark-skinned man joined them, called telepathically by Luke. The man saw Hux and his face twisted with a furious snarl.

‘I didn’t expect to find you here, Hux. Searching for _useful_ people?’ he growled, his hands unconsciously balled into fists. Everyone looked at him; Hux stayed unperturbed.  

‘You know him Finn?’ Poe’s head spun from Hux to his friend and back.

‘Yeah. He’s the guy who refused me help two years ago because, quote, “I wasn’t useful enough”. Later you found me half-dead in the middle of nowhere.’

Everyone but Kylo gaped at Hux with blame in their eyes. Hux only shrugged.  

‘Even if I say I’m sorry now you won’t believe me anyway. I want nothing from you, I only assisted my friend here. He’ll get his things done and you’ll never see me again.’

Finn scoffed and muttered something similar to “that makes me happy”.

‘You’ve found them?’ Leia politely changed the topic, but the tension of the accusation hang heavily in the air. Hux was calm but somehow pressed himself closer to the wall, as if he wanted to dissolve.

Luke waved his hand over his desk and centimeters above its surface a greenish hologram map of the country appeared. The mansion was marked with a red dot.

‘They’re here’ Luke pointed at the map and another red dot appeared, far in the east. Everyone but Hux gathered around the desk.

‘The capital.’

Kylo leant in, glancing at the map with frown. ‘Can you narrow down the zone?’

Luke zoomed in until they saw streets and buildings. His finger hovered upon the grid for a few long seconds before it stopped at last. Leia squinted her eyes to read the name of the place.

‘First Order Company.’

‘Snoke.’

The name fell, unexpectedly, from Hux’ lips. Once again he gained attention, though Poe, Finn and Rey were full of suspicion.

‘We’re aware he’s overly interested in talented. We keep tabs on him but so far can’t prove anything’ Leia explained. ‘Do you know anything about that man?’

‘He…’ Hux cringed and rubbed at corners of his eyes. ‘He wanted to use talented. To harness their powers, as well as induce talents in normal kids. My fathered helped him with mad experiments but thankfully, all of them failed.’ His hand fell from face, showing barred gritted teeth. ‘But he certainly didn’t give up. I’m sorry to say that but Kylo’s friends were probably kidnapped to be subjects in whatever experiments Snoke contrived.’

‘You’re not quite trustworthy. How can we know you’re telling the truth?’ Finn spat.

Hux stomped closer, tugging at his shirt’s sleeves to roll them up and show the scarred interior of his elbows.

‘You think I’m lying?! At Snoke’s orders my own father subjected me to a scientific program that no one but me survived. He watched me writhing in agony on a chair, strapped up because I tried to run away or at least pull the IV out. Sometimes Snoke was present too, watching me in silence and when I finally stopped fighting, and just prayed for the end, he spoke to Brendol about the recent results. My father didn’t even call me by the name he gave me. For him I was Subject001. After we ran away Rae and I took care certain ears heard rumours of the lab. It was soon compromised and Brendol was imprisoned. I hope he’ll rot in a cell. But Snoke wasn’t caught red-handed and got away scot-free. So if I have any chance to exact my revenge on him, I’ll do it gladly.’

Hux was breathing quickly, his thin chest expanding with angry inhales. Flames flickered in his eyes. Kylo thought he really wouldn’t want to have an enemy in Hux.

‘Tell us everything you know’ Leia said once again, still calm, but her stare shifted. She was now a negotiating politician.

‘From the start he was interested in using talented for personal interest. Father was responsible for tests to induce talents in children, but it’s possible that Snoke worked on other goals too. I ran away from them ten years ago and Rae’s contact wasn’t in a position high enough to have information on new research facilities. But the kidnapping of talented for whatever reason sounds very much like Snoke. He’s a man of great wealth, opportunities and great ambitions. He could very well treat them as a research object, to develop technology that will bring him another fortune, or brainwash them and create a private army.’

Kylo jerked forward and felt heat rising up in his chest. Hux knew all that and hadn’t said it earlier? Common sense washed over him like a cold shower; they had just gotten to know where his people were being held. Maybe nothing of what Hux’ said was true.

‘That sounds like tough opponent’ Poe muttered, glancing at a hologram of skyscraper with hexagonal logo on a facade.

‘We suspected his involvement in talented disappearances for a long time, but we didn’t have any official proof. He carefully covers any tracks of illegal activities’ Luke said.

‘Testimony of single runaway is still not a proof’ Rey added somberly.

‘He tells the truth and that’s enough for me’ Leia announced and stood straight, chin lifted proudly. ‘It’s high time to stop him and whatever awful things he practices, even by illegal means. Let’s send a team to extract Ben’s friends and take a look what’s going there. Then we’ll do whatever’s needed to stop this man.’

Rey opposed the idea. ‘Leia, are you…’ she paused, glaring at Kylo with corner of her eye. ‘- isn’t he the real reason you proposed this? You want to help him so he won’t run away again?’

Anger painted Kylo’s cheeks scarlet red. He bit his tongue before he snapped back any remark.

Leia looked at her son and back at Rey. ‘Maybe I’m biased. Or maybe Ben’s arrival is the sign to act. We help every talented in need, and this man kidnaps them and possibly tortures and uses them in inhuman way. It’s our responsibility to put it to an end, one way or another.’

No one found a reply to her fiery words. Kylo blinked few times, not quite sure that Leia hadn’t just used her talent on them.

‘The target is in the heart of capital. Getting there will be very difficult, and running away even harder’ Poe noted, a finger circling around the greenish tower.

‘It must be small team’ Luke concluded. ‘No, Ben, you’re not going alone.’

‘I thought you changed about reading my mind’ Kylo growled.

‘I didn’t need to, it’s plain on your face. You stand no chance alone.’

‘I’m strong and I can finally control my powers!’

‘And when you were attacked in the forest you were sedated’ Hux reminded him. Kylo glanced at him feeling betrayed. ‘Don’t look at me like that. We need help.’

‘We?’ Kylo echoed dumbfounded.

‘Yes. I want to kick Snoke’s ass if I have a chance.’

Kyo’s face relaxed, his furrowed brows flattened. ‘What about your people?’

Hux huffed. ‘My plan involves coming back, you know? Anyway I need to contact Techie for the building’s blueprints.’

‘The matter is delicate’ Leia looked directly at Poe. The man saluted.

‘Ay ay, ma’am!’

Leia turned to Rey. ‘Your talent will be useful too.’

The girl was skeptical but nodded in agreement.

‘Then I go too’ Finn joined in.

‘Five’s enough’ Luke concluded.

‘I can’t believe you continue to maintain secret forces paid for by your private funds. I’m curious what your electorate would think of it’ Kylo muttered to mother.

She smirked in answer. With a crooked smile she looked ten years younger. ‘Don’t bother yourself with it. You mentioned getting blueprints?’ she turned to Hux. He nodded. ‘Can you get it transferred undetected?’

Hux scoffed again. ‘My brother is the best hacker in the country. If not the world.’

Techie needed exactly ten and a half minutes to obtain and send the plans. As soon as Luke’s AI converted them into a 3D holo they began debating over the assault plan. Kylo was astonished to see Hux as the fiercest contributor; he acknowledged assets of each team member and quickly developed three different schemes that Luke and Leia responded to. The three spoke the most while the others listened and from time to time made some remarks. It took long but eventually together they forged the plan.

Leia looked up at wall clock.

‘Oh dear, it’s already late. We’ll find you rooms for the night and I’ll check if we have spare suits for you.’

‘Suits? You dress your super-secret private forces in spandex like comicbook heroes?’ Kylo mocked with a chuckle.

‘Kevlar’ Rey corrected, not amused with joke. ‘The bullets shot at us are very real. You should already know it.’

Kylo huffed and eyed her as she left the room with Poe and Finn. She’d always had a temperament, he remembered it well – that scrawny girl with fire in her eyes when she stood up against older children. Like Kylo she showed her talent in early age; she was found by Mr. Antilles all alone in the middle of nowhere when she was about six years old. At first she was very cautious but had quickly adapted to the school and was eager to embrace her abilities. Kylo felt a prickle of happiness that she’d grown up happily.

*                   *

Kylo lied on his bed with his hands clasped over stomach. His hyperawareness kept him awake for the whole night even as his common sense urged him to get rest. He wasn’t able to fall asleep, not in the mansion. The guest room looked almost the same as his old bedroom. He felt a need to go for a walk but he had too many memories connected with the this place that he didn’t want to wake.

Yet, in the morning he got up full of nervous energy, the feeling of an electric charge collecting on skin. In the corridor he met with Hux, meticulous as usual despite the early hour. Together they found Poe waiting for them outside the arsenal, according to the previous day’s plan.

‘Let’s suit up’ Poe flashed blindingly white teeth in a grin and led them through a maze of small rooms, each filled with different equipment, up to a long narrow room with a row of clothed dummies.  

‘They were made in various size for future members’ Poe explained as he took a look at every suit, searching for the right size.

‘Of your secret superhero gang?’ Kylo teased.

‘We prefer to call it an “extraction team”’ Poe winked. ‘Good thing is they’re regulated, so maybe we’ll find something for you. Here, this one should fit you Ben, and that one is for your friend. Changing rooms are in the end of room. You’ll find your way back? I’ll go suit up myself…’

‘Yes we will’ Hux replied quickly and marched to changing room with his suit in arms.

Poe shrugged and left. Kylo picked his suit up and went to change too. The suit fit his body tightly, something he wasn’t very fond of, but wasn’t constricting, and was reinforced in vulnerable spots with Kevlar. It even had a knee-long cape, a relic of previous owner. Kylo wished for a mirror to see himself fully with: bulky, intimidating, clad from neck to toe in gray and black armour, with shoulders wrapped in a cape and bizarre hilt dangling from his belt.

Hux looked good too. The suit hugged his slim body tightly and added some mass to his thin bones and broadened shoulders. He had two holsters strapped on both sides of his belt. His immaculate parting was slightly mussed, making him look even more boyish and somehow cute.

Hux eyed him with scrutiny and Kylo wished the tiny blush on Hux’ cheeks wasn’t only his imagination.

‘Cape’ he sneered. ‘How impractical. You’re gonna get stuck in a door.’

‘I don’t mind. It’s my aesthetics.’

‘Oh really, emo boy?’

Kylo scowled in answer.

They walked side by side through the basement corridors via the route Poe had explained to them earlier. Even as their arms brushed each other’s Kylo couldn’t believe Hux had offered to join. After two weeks spent together Kylo had learnt that Hux wasn’t a man to rush into things, he was a cold-headed thinker. How deep-rooted was his hatred for that man, Snoke?

The rest of the team was already in place when they reached the underground hangar. By a sleek silver jet stood Rey, Finn and Poe, all dressed in similar suits, and Luke with Leia, both serious but calm.

‘Get it done. But the most important thing should be your safe return’ Leia looked at every participant one by one.

Poe saluted and jumped inside the jet. Rey and Finn nodded and disappeared inside the ship with Hux behind them. Kylo gave Leia one last glance, watching her hopeful face, too hopeful for him to be comfortable. He fled inside to avoid looking at mother any longer.

Rey and Poe took the pilots’ seats and prepared for takeoff. Finn perched by the wall right behind them and Hux sat on the other side of the trunk, discreetly watching the other man. Kylo dropped in front of Hux.

‘Alright, we’re starting’ Poe announced and waved at Finn. The man pressed a flat hand to the hull and closed his eyes, frowning with focus.  

For long seconds nothing happened. Then every one of them heard Luke in their heads, _It works. Jet’s invisible._

Finn’s eyes fluttered open. Though he was frowning from exertion he smiled triumphantly. Rey grinned at him.

Poe clicked a few buttons and the engines hummed to life.

Kylo couldn’t believe that while he had been in the mansion, he’d never discovered jet hidden under the football court. He knew about the secret errands of the teachers and his mother’s friends, usually concluding with a new student’s appearance in school the next day, but never pried on what exactly they were doing. And now he was with the descendants of that team on deck of a jet kept invisible by Finn on a similar mission.

The vehicle flew at subsonic speed and they were to reach the target in about twenty minutes. They didn’t speak, only exchanged meaningful looks, especially Hux and Finn.

‘We’re getting close’ Poe said when the capital’s cityscape rose in distance. He slowed down and maneuvered to get right over the First Order building.

Rey stood up and stepped to main part of the plan. ‘Everybody remembers the plan?’

The others nodded in confirmation.

‘Three emergency plans?’ Nod. ‘Blueprints downloaded on comms?’

‘Chill, Rey. Everything will be fine’ Finn gave her a smile.

‘We’re there. Two guards by the entrance’ Poe remarked. ‘Rey?’

She picked up her battle staff from the seat next to Finn with dangerous smile.

‘On my way’ and she disappeared into thin air as she teleported down on the roof.

Kylo and Hux stood up impatiently and prepared their weapons while Poe descended the jet. He did it so swiftly that they almost missed the moment the ship touched the surface of the roof. As the hatch snapped open the four dashed out ready for confrontation, but the only person there was Rey standing over two bodies.

‘All clear. No one got informed’ she mouthed silently.

‘Let’s get it done. Good luck!’ Kylo said and Hux shot at the keypad by the door. It open a with hiss and sparks. Finn and Rey lunged forward and disappeared, and Poe ascended half a meter above ground and flew down staircase.

Kylo had always envied Poe levitation abilities. He found it much cooler than plasma bending. He used to watch his friend gliding carefree over the mansion along with the birds with envy.

‘We must go’ Hux urged.

They quietly went three floors down the stairs, where according to blueprints they should have found elevators. The plan was easy – Rey, Poe and Finn marked the attack on servers and hacked the database to draw security’s attention while Kylo and Hux went straight to the underground and searched for Kylo’s companions. They were supposed to meet only few guards en route and many sealed doors. Hux, being Techie’s brother and having a knack for hacking too, would open them.

On the way to the elevator they didn’t meet a soul. As the door closed behind him, Hux shot down a camera in the ceiling and hit the floor number button, breathing heavily.

‘Already out of breath?’ Kylo asked before he bit his tongue. Of course Hux had a problem with running. With such a fragile body he shouldn’t have come at all.

‘Can you concentrate on getting your friends back in one piece?’ Hux grunted angrily, still drawing deep breaths. He leant back on the wall. His right hand gripped nervously at his gun.

He had freckles, Kylo only noticed in the dim elevator’s light.

‘Um, Hux?’

‘What?’

Kylo forgot how to speak, busy with mapping the hues of the green irises trained on him.

‘What the hell, Kylo! Just tell me what you want!’

Kylo cut the distance between them with a single step and pressed his lips to Hux’, pink and full and inviting.

Hux made a tiny noise of surprise and stiffened at once. Kylo backed off, scared. Hux had his eyes wide open and mouth slightly agape in deep shock.

‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t…’ Kylo muttered, feeling heat rising on his cheeks. He dropped his gaze to the floor, too embarrassed to look directly at Hux.

Hux didn’t answer which was alarming, so Kylo risked a peek. Hux hesitantly touched his mouth with the fingers of his left hand, the one without the gun, still in deep shock.

‘What? Don’t tell me you’ve never been kissed?’ Kylo huffed.

Hux’ head snapped up. ‘I haven’t, alright?’ he sneered.

That caught Kylo off-guard. ‘How?! Everyone at your age has kissed!’

‘And I haven’t! I had no time for dating, I was busy taking care of Techie, and later the others…

‘But you don’t mind it?’

‘Fuck, it’s not a time for discussing my making-out story! We’re leaving!’

Kylo was so dizzy he almost missed their stop. Hux must have grabbed his elbow and yanked him out of the elevator.

They were two floors above an entrance to the underground stories. The elevator didn’t go down that far so they had to go the rest of way on foot. There were many guards running in every direction. Most of them didn’t even notice Kylo and Hux pressed against the nooks in walls and those who did were immediately incapacitated.

‘I see you’re satisfied with your new toy’ Hux noted when Kylo retracted his blade from a guard’s chest and whirled it in dramatic circle.

‘Oh yes. I haven’t thanked you for it yet.’

‘You don’t have to, I’d be glad if it protects me when I’m in need.’

Kylo answered by cutting another opponent.

Shortly after they finally reached the entrance to the underground parts of the building. Hux fiddled with the keypad while Kylo informed Rey of their progress.

‘We’re creating a true mess here’ her voice crackled in the earphone. ‘But please don’t linger.’

Kylo sneaked behind Hux to a corridor dimly lit by sparse lamps embedded in the ceiling. Hux looked around, clearly anxious and raised his gun, ready to shot.

‘It looked the same, where they kept me’ he whispered. ‘We’re in right place.’

They slowly moved forward, cautious for any sign they weren’t alone but none occurred. Hux consulted every turn the with map displayed on the comm on his wrist.

The target was behind another closed door that Hux hacked to let them in. The room was very dark. The corridor’s lights poured in and they saw rows of unsettling cylindrical glass tanks on pedestals, big enough to contain an adult man within, forming sort of passageways.

‘Let’s split’ Kylo offered. Hux was reluctant so he added, ‘It’ll be faster.’

Hux headed to the left. With no other choice, Kylo picked right.

He created a flick of plasma to light the way. It casted long eerie shadows on the glass constructions. Kylo chased away perplexing thoughts of the purpose they served.

From in front of him came the rustle of shifting clothes. Kylo ignited his sword.

‘Ah, Ben Solo. Or as you prefer, Kylo Ren.’

The raspy male voice belonged to a tall silhouette hidden in the darkness. The man flicked his fingers and a row of lamps lit up above him and the alley Kylo had come from.

From neck down, he was a picturesque businessman, clad in a perfectly tailored dark suit. But his head was a nightmare. So pale the paper skin was almost white, with terrifying scars across his bald skull and marring his left cheek, he looked like a character from a horror movie.

The man shoved his hands in his pants’ pockets. Completely relaxed, he rocked on his heels, watching Kylo with interest.

‘Where are they?’ Kylo growled through gritted teeth. His fingers tightened around the hilt, the material of gloves creaked as a warning.

‘Funny thing. I ordered my people to bring you specifically and they brought me everyone but you. But it turned out well. I gained a group of truly extraordinary people, and you came here on your own. That’s killing two birds with one stone.’

Kylo leapt forward swinging the sword but Snoke stepped back into the shadow. From darkness, in turn, emerged Joan who blocked Kylo’s cut with a ball of buzzing charge in her palm. She looked fine, but her stare was blind and unfocused. Kylo backed off a few steps, away from her range. Into the spotlight entered Matt, Toby, Sonius and Alyssa, all with the same unconscious eyes.

Kylo shifted his gaze from one to the other. ‘What the hell have you done to them?!’

‘I’m fascinated with your kind. To be exact, with your talents and the possibilities they give. The healer girl is really impressive. Maybe she’ll be able to mend my body. But what was the most rewarding turned out to be…’ Snoke groped in the darkness and with a claw-like hand on his shoulder brought Li closer. ‘That young man, calling himself Listen. He’s truly gifted. One word from him is enough to force people to do anything. Just now he can make your dear friends fight you. He’s much stronger than you know. What he chose to use and is just a fraction of his actual capability. He’s just too afraid of his own power.’

Kylo gaped at Li as his heart thrummed in his throat. He was wearing an elastic band with electrodes around his head and looked unconscious.

‘It wasn’t easy but I found a way to force him into submission. Now through him, I can control anyone. Anyone but you. He told me you learnt to shield your mind from influences.’

Snoke muttered to Li’s ear, ‘Make them fight him’.

Li mouthed the order soundlessly and Matt, Joan and Toby rushed to fight.

Kylo had fought them countless times for training and for fun, but never against three at once. Dodging lighting strikes and fireballs and reptilian claws while attempting to disarm and not harm his opponents was impossible. Soon he earned burns and cuts that even the technologically advanced suit couldn’t defend. Kylo couldn’t call Hux and hoped the noises of the clash would draw him closer, although had no idea how Hux would help him.

Thoughts of Hux and his safety distracted him for a fraction of second, enough for Joan to kick the side of his knee and knock him on the floor. The three encircled Kylo, ready to strike if he attempted to stand up. Snoke leisurely stepped closer with Li still at his side.

‘Don’t move.’

Kylo looked back and saw Hux behind a glass tank, pointing his gun at Snoke. The man dug his fingers in Li’s shoulder; Matt, Joan and Toby stopped mid-step and froze.

‘Ah. Hux’ son. His only success. You grew up fine.’

‘Shut up you madman.’

Hux slowly stepped closer with the gun still pointed at the man. Kylo pushed himself to a standing position and passed his friends by, just in case they unfroze again.

‘Creating your own talented isn’t enough? Now you’re capturing and using them?’ Hux hissed.

Snoke’s lips pulled into a cold smile, distorting his face even more. ‘Your father’s experiments failed so I changed priorities. But those people here… I don’t really need any of them, although they’re a nice addition. I only need Kylo, and you know why.’

Hux’s eyes widened in fear. ‘No. You didn’t…’

‘Yes, I did.’

In one rapid motion Snoke pulled out a small gun from the inner pocket of suit and shot. Hux dropped to his knees with a shout. His gun fell from his limp hand as he pressed the other palm to his bleeding shoulder. Kylo rushed to step between him and Snoke, but Snoke aimed for Hux’ head.

‘One more move and he’s dead.’

Kylo halted abruptly. His thoughts whirled madly, trying to find any solution.

Snoke slowly approached Hux who glared furiously at him, biting his lip so he wouldn’t scream again. Snoke kicked Hux’ gun out of his reach.

‘Oh Armitage. You’re so bright. Even before your father pumped chemicals into your veins. You were destined to become even better and achieve greatness. Yet you chose to run away with your crippled brother. Was it worth it, living in ruins and taking care of losers when you could have stayed here and achieve everything, me and you side by side, thanks to your designs?’

‘What is he talking about?’ Kylo cut in.

Snoke turned to him with a sorry look. ‘Oh, Armitage didn’t mention that when he was eleven he designed a weapon of mass destruction that two teams of engineers weren’t able to create? The only problem was the source of energy. He ran away before he found a solution, but my people perfected his plan. The only missing element is you.’

‘Me?’ Kylo echoed dumbfounded.

‘Fuck, don’t listen to him!’ Hux grunted with no effect, Snoke went on.

‘A talented able to produce enormous amount of energy in the form of plasma. Isn’t it just perfect? I must thank you, Armitage. If you didn’t befriend him I’d never have known of his talent. You don’t think I let you wander around without surveillance? I watched you for the past decade, I just had no interest in you anymore.’

‘You…’

Hux wanted to knock Snoke over but he was too slow. Snoke slapped him in face with flat of his hand and Hux curled on ground, bleeding from a broken nose and broken corner of mouth. Snoke kicked his ribcage with horrible crack and tumbled him on his back before stepping on his expose throat.

‘You could have achieved greatness, but you chose to be a nuisance’ the man said with a voice cold like a void. ‘In the world I’ll soon create there’s no place for nuisances.’

He pressed his foot down. Hux coughed against the pressure and tried to push Snoke away but didn’t have enough energy.

Kylo watched it, desperate to do anything. The band on Li’s head caught his stare. He was risking either Hux’ or Li’s life, and had only one chance.

He raised his arm forward and concentrated on a small point of band. It glowed, broke in two and fell on the floor. Li collapsed forward lifeless and the others jerked at sudden return of consciousness.

Snoke turned around with a grimace on his ugly face. Hux used the moment of his distraction to roll away from the man, grab his gun and shoot half a magazine in Snoke’s chest. He grunted, looking shocked at the constellation of bullet holes marring his body, and slumped on the floor.

‘What the…’ Matt stuttered terrified.

‘No time. Take Li and follow me’ Kylo barked and added quietly to Hux, ‘Please don’t get mad.’

‘What do you…’

Kylo hoisted him bridal-style. Hux murmured something under his breath but didn’t oppose, he only secured his better arm around Kylo’s neck.

Toby and Sonius took guns and together with Joan secured the group. Kylo informed the other team of their success and ordered a retreat to jet.

The way back through the building, unlike the first time,  passed like a blur. Kylo led them to the elevator and then up to the roof with minimal problems from the guards. When they entered the roof Rey was waiting on the hatch of the already invisible vehicle. As soon as all of the people were aboard Poe lifted the ship and hit the throttle to run away as fast as possible.

Kylo lowered Hux with care on the center of the floor. Matt rested the still unconscious Li next to him. Joan sat beside Kylo and threw her arms around his neck.

‘Oh Kylo, you found us! Stars, what happened to your face?!’

Kylo hugged her tight, relieved that she was around again. ‘I’ll tell you later. Are you guys fine?’

‘I guess so. Apart from Li, of course’ Toby shrugged. ‘Guess he’s just exhausted after whatever that creep did to him.’

Alyssa joined Kylo and Hux. ‘Let me heal you.’

‘Nah, I’ll get through it. You must be exhausted too’ Hux rasped.

Stubborn, Alyssa laid her hand on his wounded cheek and let her energy at least ease the pain. Hux gasped with relief and found no strength to oppose.

Kylo looked around at all his friends, finally safe again. He felt the tears welling in his eyes.

‘Good to have you back, guys.’

*          *

The first thing Leia forced them all to do after their return was exhaustive medical tests. She was politely curious of her son’s friends and while they were waiting for examination she peeked at them.

All of them were fine, even Li who recovered soon after they arrived at the mansion. Hux was treated by Dr. Kalonia and by the end of day he was in one piece again. Although they all were to rest for day or two before they left.

While they were resting in the medical wing, Kylo explained to teammates how he got help from Hux and his family in order to find and retrieve them. On the other hand, they weren’t able to say a word about what happened to them from the moment they were stunned in the forest to when Kylo destroyed the band Snoke had used to control Li. But Snoke was now dead and they had no permanent marks of staying in captivity so they weren’t too concerned.

The most important question was, what they were to do next.

Kylo turned his gaze from Hux to his friends and back. He was at a crossroads, torn between his companions and the man he was attracted to. Damn, he fell in love with him. But Hux had the group he was responsible for and there was no way he’d leave them or, at very least, switch to a nomadic lifestyle.

‘So, what’s the plan?’ Sonius asked hesitantly.

‘I don’t know yet. Our things are safe at Hux friend’s so we need to get them back, and then… I really have no idea.’

‘Kylo…’ a weak voice belonging to Li spoke up. ‘I don’t like it but I suppose I should stay here. Your uncle is an expert of mind powers. Now I see that no matter how much I deny it, I must learn how to control my powers, and he can help me with it.’

‘The same goes for me’ Alyssa fidgeted nervously with rim of her hoodie sleeve. ‘I know I can do better, but I need someone who knows my talent and will teach me.’

‘I see’ Kylo kept his tone steady, free from sadness nestled in his heart. They were his brothers and sisters. He wanted to prevent their questions from touching him but he felt abandoned. Even as he tried to convince himself they were free to choose their own paths.

Hux shifted himself into a more comfortable position on the bed. ‘You know, now, that Techie and I aren’t under threat of Snoke, maybe we can settle down somewhere big enough for eleven people.’

Kylo turned sharply to him, his heart fluttering with hope. ‘You mean, join our groups together?’

‘Yeah. I’m sure Matt won’t have objections.’

Matt’s cheeks flushed with a crimson colour.

‘That’s somewhere to start with’ Joan smiled at Kylo.

‘Yeah. We’ll think of something, together.’

 


End file.
